It is well known to connect printed wiring boards (PWB's) to a backplane having a multitude of contact pins projecting therefrom. This is typically accomplished using a connector comprised of a molded insulator housing having a plurality of cavities therein, each cavity having a metal contact inserted therein. The connector is affixed to the PWB by staking or other fastening means and portions of the contacts projecting from the connector are soldered to the board. The PWB is urged towards the backplane to insert a plurality of contact pins into the appropriate contacts of the connector.
One type of contact used has a central body portion with a pair of tines depending therefrom. The tines have opposed curved ends which are spring biased towards one another. However, to facilitate the insertion of a backplane contact pin therein it is necessary to spread the tines apart slightly prior to insertion. This is accomplished by a pair of opposed elongated ribs molded on the sidewalls of each contact cavity in the connector. As the contact is urged into the connector cavity the opposed tines will straddle the ribs providing the desired tine separation.
Unfortunately, it has been found most difficult to accurately insert the contact into the cavity so as to consistently spread the tines apart. Often both tines will be wedged together on one side of the ribs which prohibits the insertion of any pin therein. Therefore, the contact must be manually removed and a new contact inserted properly therein. Such a replacement operation is time consuming and expensive.